March 10, 2012

As the Wisconsin State Journal puts it: "Union members rallied outside the Wisconsin Capitol on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the Republican-led Legislature's passage of a hotly-disputed measure that stripped most public union workers of collective bargaining rights."

How do they know who's a union member? There was a huge crowd, including lots of children (and dogs!) on this sunny warm Saturday:

They couldn't have all been union members. But I saw lots of generic printed signs and flags, and there were massive trucks painted with "Teamsters" and "Boilermakers" imagery.

Speaking of imagery, here's a woman holding a sign depicting Governor Scott Walker's head emerging from a hairy asshole. The sign reads "Buttholes for Billionaire$:

Another sign depicts Scott Walker peeing on the words "Public Employees." Walker has a Hitler mustache and the words read "Gov. Dick Tater":

When I saw that "Dick Tater" sign today I thought to myself that it'd show up on this blog for sure. :D

I had an short convo with the guy holding the "Stand with Walker, not with Union Thugs" sign. I asked why he thinks we're thugs and he said his sign didn't say that all union members were thugs. We talked a bit more, but he seemed upset after I mentioned the legal fund our Governor has just set up so I strolled away.

I've attempted to introduce guys who looked like that to the joys of residential construction. They usually disappear at lunch on the first day

I seen some Ironworkers today that looked like they could lift houses. Beautiful day, always great to stop in have a burger and beer. Had some friends down from Rhinelander that got their first taste of a rally. *pop*

When I saw the Walker as a dick/Hitler sign, I though of my 5 year old grandson, and hoped he would never be called a Hitler dick just because he wins an election fair and square and ends fiscal suicide.

Blaska has a good post on the rift in union solidarity now that the public employee unions have demagogued away the mining bill at the expense of industry union jobs .

Now public unions killed the mine? Hah. Blaska full of horseshit, as usual. Republicans couldn't even get their own caucus on board. In fact, a vote was never even taken of the Jausch/Schultz bill, which could have passed. One thing I'll miss the least from this crew is the nonstop lies.

Ann, the simple answer to your (I know it was rhetorical) question is that the protestors and public union members who support them DON'T believe in democracy, or the free expression of any opinions that don't agree with theirs.

What a surprise to see that the protestors haven't gained any class or intelligence over the past year.

Why do people insist on the ad hominem attack? At that point you are basically a child going "neener neener neener". When people do it to me I start laughing and inform them that I've been called a lot worse, by a lot better people.

As far as being called a "Dick" butthead, asshole etc... if you can't take it, get out of public life.

You can only be offended if you let yourself be offended. And if you child is offended, inform them that the offending party lacks the wit, subtlety, and intelligence enough to make up a good put down.

As an example, Anthony Davis, NPOY candidate from UK has a unibrow. The crowds from opposing schools chant "unibrow" at him.(like he never noticed before). Instead of getting mad, AD has made it a signature of his style. They go so far as to place a unibrow on the wildcat mascot, and sell tee-shirts with "uni-blocker" on them.

Why don't people who profess to believe in democracy accept the results of an election and concentrate on beating him in the next election?

You seem to be saying that regularly scheduled elections is the only proper way for a democracy to function and that having a process that allows for the citizens to call for an earlier vote subverts democracy. Would you mind clarifying that? 'cause I don't understand how having elected leaders more accountable to the citizens means we end up with less democracy.

I seen some Ironworkers today that looked like they could lift houses. Beautiful day, always great to stop in have a burger and beer. Had some friends down from Rhinelander that got their first taste of a rally. *po

Yep. The big dumb ones. The guys you need to shift the iron around while you weld it. They don't last long unless they learn other skills. If you're still doing it after thirty, you're on steroids and pain killers.

purplepenquin said, "You seem to be saying that regularly scheduled elections is the only proper way for a democracy to function and that having a process that allows for the citizens to call for an earlier vote subverts democracy. Would you mind clarifying that? 'cause I don't understand how having elected leaders more accountable to the citizens means we end up with less democracy."

In the cases of those who were recalled last year, a smaller number of people voted for those elected in the recall than for the person originally elected. Thus, a smaller number overturns the will of a larger number, or as you refer to it, we end up with less democracy.

1. Recall is a Constitutional right. To ignore this is underhanded, IMO. Further, over 1M signatures were collected--nearly as much as the 1.1M votes Walker got in the general election. That is hardly the subversion of democracy.2. The John Doe investigation which Walker appears to be acknowledging has now reached up to his level, does not mean he is "being hounded in every way by the people who lost the last election can conceive of." It began as the result of a press investigation and has widened to include federal investigators. To state that this investigation is politically-based is disingenuous. 3. It was a lovely day. The Wisconsin humorists, satirists and families were enjoying themselves. There were no riots, or storming the castle. Althouse didn't get attacked. I love this state!4. There seem to be more than the usual number of bullies and snarky comments in this post. Perhaps if it were not anonymous a more civil discourse would ensue.